


If I Could Tell You

by ShadowoftheMountain



Category: Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 14:01:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8492515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowoftheMountain/pseuds/ShadowoftheMountain
Summary: Misao wants to go to Tokyo to visit Kaoru and Kenshin at the birth of their child; Aoshi thinks it's too dangerous. What happens when Misao gets over her head and needs his help? Will he finally give her his love? Fluff, violence, and a big LEMON at the end. Read at your own risk





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer* I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. My imagination is not that good. This is for entertainment purposes only.

It was springtime in Kyoto, which is one of the most famous places in the world to take the season in. The days were bright and pleasant, and the intoxicating fragrance of thousands upon thousands of cherry blossoms carried in the breeze. It was evening, and many proprietors were closing their businesses for the day.

Makimachi Misao rushed down the street, holding a letter. Her blue-black hair was bound into a long, elaborate braid. Her wiry frame was dressed in a blue onmitsu gi, and she was running as fast as she could, visibly excited. She ran straight into the inn she lived at with her extended ninja family - the Oniwabanshu.

She ran right through the entrance, out to the courtyard, where an old man was sitting, sipping a cup of tea. Skidding to a halt, she sat down before him, grinning hugely.

"Jiya! You will never, ever guess who just sent me a letter and what it says!" She bubbled excitedly.

The old man studied her for a moment, before deciding what to say. "It couldn't possibly be the lady proprietor of the ceramics shop, inquiring as to when we plan to pay her back for the shelf of vases you knocked over last month, could it?"

Misao made a face at him. "We both know that wasn't my fault. Her bratty son pushed me into them."

The old man looked thoughtful for a moment. Then his face lit up a bit. "Hmmm... well the only other guess I have is that you've received some sort of good news from our friends Himura Kenshin and Kaoru, from Tokyo."

"You got it!" She grinned, and said, "I am pleased to announce that Kenshin and Kaoru are expecting their first child sometime in the coming weeks! They're very excited!"

At this news, Okon and Omasu rushed in the courtyard. "A baby! How sweet!" "Oh, how darling!"

"That is pleasant news indeed," said Okina. "After the events of these past few years, those two deserve some happiness. But I can tell from the look on your face that you have more to say."

Misao could hardly contain her excitement. "Kaoru-san has requested my company for the next month. She wishes me to be present when the child is born, and to help her manage her house for a while afterwards. Of course Kenshin is helpful, but Sano and Yahiko know nothing about babies, and probably wouldn't be much use even if they did. And of course, Megumi is busier than ever as a doctor."

"Well, I can't imagine that she would find you very useful in helping her give birth! You don't know much about babies yourself, Misao-chan!" teased Okon, who regretted it immediately after seeing her face. "Oh, I'm so sorry, lamb. I forgot." She bit her lip.

"It's okay, Okon, I know you didn't mean it. It's true, I don't know anything about babies, but I certainly love them. Maybe, if I'm very lucky someday, I'll have one of my own, though it's very unlikely.

"Jiya, I have come to request permission to go to Tokyo. I would not go if you deemed that my absence will hurt the Aoiya and the Oniwabanshu. May I?"

The old man took his last sip of tea, put his cup down, and looked at Misao, preparing to answer her. But before he could, a low voice came from the doorway.

"You should not go."

Everyone turned around, to look. Shinomori Aoshi was standing in the door of the courtyard, looking at everyone through his narrowed eyes. He was dressed in his temple robe, coming back from his daily meditations, when he overheard the conversation. Misao immediately flashed him a glance that held more than a hint of defiance, though it was veiled.

"Okina, you know as well as I do that there is a group of very dangerous Yakuza roaming the borders of Tokyo."

The old man gave him a glance, nodded, and said, "That is true, Aoshi. I've heard they have been getting drunk, starting fires, and distributing opium. They also have a bad reputation as to how they treat women in particular." He gave a meaning look at Misao, who at 19, was most definitely past the general marrying age and considered to be a woman.

"Oh, Jiya, you know that I am careful and capable! Yakuza! Really? You think I can't handle a few renegade thugs?"

"Well, Misao, you've improved immensely, but 20 on one is a fight only our friend Himura could hope to win. Not just that, but traveling lone women are a target."

"Well, I must go by myself. You need Okon and Omasu here, and the last thing Kaoru needs is more men around," she said, shooting a sidelong glance at the impassive Aoshi. "I would take the train, but it's so expensive! Please, Jiya, consider it!"

The old man sighed. He got up, very slowly, and very lightly re-arranged some of the decorative rocks by the pond. "I'm not so sure, Misao. What Aoshi says is true. There have been many reports of people being caught, robbed, and beaten by these men. People have been poisoned, and left to die. And," he paused, trying to find a way to put it delicately, "Young ladies like yourself have had their purity compromised by these men."

Misao gave him a quizzical look, not understanding, when Aoshi said quietly, "They were raped, Misao." She looked horrified for a second, but set her face into a stubborn line. "Normal women, maybe, but I bet none of them were trained in martial arts. Jiya, Kaoru needs me!" She gave him a pleading glance.

"She may very well, Misao, but I am sure she would prefer you alive and unharmed in any case. Megumi is a doctor, and that is all she needs to safely bring her child into the world. Now I haven't said no, yet," declared the old man, looking at the tears gathering in her eyes.

Aoshi stepped up to him, starting to say, "Okina-" but the old man waved his hand, and gave him a meaningful glance. "You and I will discuss this later," he said. "For now, I say that Misao may go tomorrow - if she manages to get past you, that is," he smiled at Aoshi. Misao's face fell.

"Not fair, Jiya! You know I haven't a prayer at defeating Aoshi-sama right now!" Misao said, somewhat trembling. Even speaking about Aoshi was still difficult for her.

He was so very distant and unapproachable, as always. He went to the temple, and came home. Misao still always brought him something to eat at midday, but he was like a ghost to her. He never acknowledged her presence. The love she held for him was still as deep as ever, but it wasn't much different from loving a tree. Sure, it was living, strong, and vital to life, but it couldn't love you back. At least, that's how Misao felt.

It also occurred to her that because of her letter, she had not met Lord Aoshi at the temple to walk home with him. She wondered if he even noticed. Probably not, she thought.

The sun was setting, and it was time for dinner. She trudged slowly into the kitchen with everyone else, trying to figure out how to beat Aoshi. Everyone else except Aoshi and herself chattered wildly about the exciting news, but Misao only answered direct questions and largely ate in silence, which no one noticed. That is, no one except Aoshi himself.

For the first time in a long time, she noticed that he was stealing glances at her. He seemed like he was trying to guess what she was thinking, so she made her face as deadpan as possible. In most people, this would at least help them to appear unreadable. Unfortunately for Misao, she was an open book, as always.

She finished first, excused herself, and went toward her room, thinking. She wasn't paying any attention and turned the corner to her room, running headlong into Aoshi's chest, and falling backwards on her rear end with a crash.

Oh my goodness! Not now! She thought. Turning red as a cherry, she looked up to see him staring down at her.

"I still think you should not go, Misao," he said. "You overestimate yourself and you underestimate your danger. You could be hurt, or worse."

Suddenly, all the emotion that Misao had been holding in flared up in an instant. "What do you care! You never even notice that I'm here! I mean nothing to you!" She ran off to her room, in tears. How could he, of all people, dare to preach to her about her safety, when until recently, he couldn't have cared less whether she lived or died? She cried for a good half-hour, feeling sorry for herself, before she remembered that she needed to figure out a way to defeat him in battle. That was when an idea went off in her head like a light bulb.

"Of course! It's too easy!" She smiled, hugged herself, and then thought, _well, as long as I can pull it off, anyway._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer* I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. My imagination is not that good. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Aoshi slowly made his way to the courtyard for the evening. He knew he could defeat Misao if he were blindfolded, but decided to do a few exercises anyway, more to clear his mind than for any other reason.

Everything Misao had just said to him was true, or so she believed. It still saddened him that she felt that way, but he couldn't yet find a way to change it.

Misao was so challenging, sometimes. He knew that he should show her some kindness, but he wasn't sure how. He'd spent too long trying to become the strongest there was, while all the time he was destroying his own soul. He had forgotten how to love a long time ago, and he was just now trying to re-learn. He was pensive and withdrawn by nature, but events in his life had caused him to become so impassive that he couldn't show even the slightest tinge of emotion to anyone. He was still consumed by fear.

And pride, he admitted to himself. He had tried to find a way to apologize to Misao for causing her so much pain, but every time he wanted to, the moment didn't seem right. It felt awkward and insincere. And as Aoshi never said anything unless it was worth saying, the words never left his lips unless they conveyed exactly what he meant.

As he began to go through his exercises, his thoughts ran. I can't believe that girl still intends to go to Tokyo. Even after I told her about the possibility of being raped! Okina had spared the really bad stories, which was a move Aoshi found to be unwise. Hearing about the girl who had had her tongue cut out, her body and clothing slashed to ribbons, with blood running down the inside of her legs, might have scared Misao into staying.

Foolish girl, she's impossible, he thought. He really did admire Misao's willful attitude, but it could be very difficult at times like this. Okina thought he was keeping Misao from getting into trouble by insisting she fight Aoshi, but Aoshi himself knew her better. He quietly sat a few feet from her door, listening to her sniffle for half an hour after running from him. After that, he was positive that she sat up, said, "Of course! It's too easy!" and started to move around her room. I'll need to be up early to keep an eye on her, he thought.

After an hour of practice, he bathed, went to his room, and lay on his futon. His thoughts raced.

I didn't know that Misao wanted children, he thought to himself. He then wondered if she even knew how children came to be, until he remembered that she was now a woman. She still seemed so young to him. Her body may have matured, but her mind was still that of a young maiden. You could change that, said a small voice in his mind, that he immediately chased away. He knew that there was something more to their relationship than just friendliness - only a fool couldn't feel the energy that crackled between them. But he was terrified of hurting her like he had hurt his closest friends.

His thoughts turned uneasily to them, until he finally succumbed to the inevitable nightmares.

Misao hopped from tree-top to tree-top, running from Kyoto. The cherry blossoms, so brief in their beauty, were beginning to shed their petals. They fell to the ground, to be forgotten shortly by the world. Just like my life will be, she thought gloomily.

She had waited until she was positive that everyone was asleep - especially Aoshi. Two hours after his light went out, she ever so carefully creeped to his door, listening for even breathing. Then, she left a little surprise on his floor that she knew would slow him down. Satisfied, she set off on her journey.

Finally! I'll be free for a while! She thought. She knew that Jiya would be angry at her, but she would send him a letter once she reached Tokyo safely. He would forgive her once he saw that she wasn't as helpless as Aoshi obviously believed her to be.

I can't believe he doesn't think I can fend for myself, she thought. He'll never see me as anything but a four year old child. She wiped a small tear from her eyes. I don't care!

But she knew it wasn't true. She had tried to hate Aoshi, back when he attempted to kill Okina and Himura, intending to take the title as the strongest. It was impossible for her. It was like asking her stomach to hate food, or asking her lungs to hate air. She would love him as long as she lived - as a friend, and as something more.

Don't think about that, she told herself. So she didn't.

She traveled over the course of several days, sleeping in the wild, never stopping at inns, where her safety could be more easily compromised. Sleeping up in a tree branch, as she had learned to do, kept her quite safe. She didn't have enough money for an inn, anyway. And she was hearing more and more about that rogue Yakuza gang from other travelers. The stories were horrifying, and she was positive that they were somewhat embellished. But she wasn't taking any chances.

Finally, after a week or so, she made it to Tokyo. She went straight to the dojo where Kenshin and Kaoru lived, and knocked on the door.

"Misao-chan! I can't believe it's you!" Kaoru's large and shapely form waddled right up to Misao, catching her in an excited embrace.

"Misao-dono, it's so lovely to see you," said Kenshin, grabbing her arm and helping her through the threshold. "Thankfully I have made us some dinner tonight," he said, immediately regretting the emphasis on the word "I" after getting an incredibly angry look from Kaoru. He mumbled something and immediately escaped to the kitchen to finish what he was doing.

Kaoru motioned Misao into her parlor and knelt on the floor. "Yahiko is at the Akabeko talking to Tsubame, and Sano is out most likely doing something I would rather not hear about. Megumi-san will be down tomorrow," she said, pouring some tea for both of them. "I'm so surprised that you actually decided to come! Kenshin told me right after I sent the letter that a dangerous gang of Yakuza was terrorizing the area around here, and I immediately wished I hadn't send it! I didn't hear about any of this, because obviously I'm not in any condition to leave the house," she looked down at her stomach and groaned. "I love my child, but I can't wait for him to come!"

"How do you know it's a him?" Misao asked, genuinely confused.

"Oh, I just know," said Kaoru. "I knew from the moment he took root in my womb," she said, and blushed, after realizing what it implied. "I'm so sorry - I probably shouldn't have said that in front of you!"

"Oh, nonsense, Kaoru, I don't care. I know the secret of life, though I'm positive Aoshi-sama still believes that I think that babies are made from rice dough," said Misao, slightly bitterly.

"So I guess he hasn't warmed to you at all, has he?" Kaoru asked, sadly. "Well, sometimes I think he might be," said Misao. "There was that one time when I slipped in a puddle, fell down, and managed to catch his umbrella with my feet. I know that I saw him try not to smile then," she said. "But he still thinks I'm a child, and I can't defend myself. He tried to keep Jiya from letting me come here."

"Oh, he was perfectly right to do that, Misao! It was dangerous indeed! And don't you see that that means he cares about you? If he really didn't he wouldn't have said anything at all and he would have let you run headlong into danger."

Misao had never seen it in that light before. Could it be true? Did Aoshi-sama feel something for her? She brushed the thought aside. I doubt it, she thought. "I need a break from thinking about Aoshi-sama for a while, Kaoru. And spoiling you and your new son is exactly what I have in mind. But first, I have to send Jiya a letter saying that I got here safely. I, uh, kind of left without getting his complete consent."

"What?!" said Kaoru. "Oh, Misao, I don't want you to upset your family!"

"No. Don't worry about it - Jiya will understand. I could tell he nearly let me come. It was Aoshi-sama who changed his mind."

"Well, go ahead and write. Hopefully it will get to them soon so that Aoshi doesn't come running down here anyway."

Misao had never considered this possibility. Could it be true? Yeah, right, she thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer* I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. My imagination is not that good. This is for entertainment purposes only.

This really is too much, Aoshi thought to himself.

The morning after Misao angrily ran from him, she had run off to Tokyo without anyone's approval. Okina, of course, was furious, but he could do nothing. Aoshi himself had planned to set out after her.

Then he sprained his ankle.

After sliding the door open to leave his room in the morning, he slipped on the floor outside his room. This should have been impossible for someone as trained as he was in the martial arts, but literally everywhere around his door was completely slicked. He corrected himself, slipped again, and then his foot crashed through one of the floorboards, getting stuck between two rocks.

After looking at the floors, it was obvious that someone (obviously Misao) slicked all the floors with grease and cut a thin line in the floorboards, causing them to break. He hadn't ever seen her be quite this mischievous.

Of course, he had managed far worse pain in the past, while still fighting, but he wasn't as young as he used to be. He also wasn't walking hundreds of miles then. Of course, he could have just taken the train, but it was broken down and would be out of commission for two weeks.

It was as though the gods were on Misao's side, laughing at him. I'm on her side, too, he thought. She just doesn't realize it.

He got himself ready to go, then hobbled out of the door. The old man was walking toward him.

"Aoshi, I can always send one of the others in your place," suggested Okina.

Aoshi's eyes snapped up immediately. "No," he said, firmly and resolutely. "Misao needs my help, even if she doesn't realize it."

"What she really needs is your love."

Aoshi looked at him carefully. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"You know exactly what I mean. Misao has spent her entire life starved for love. Her parents died when she was just a baby, and she was given to an old man, better suited to chasing skirts and playing chess than taking care of an orphan. You and the others were her one shining light. And you're the only one left for her, Aoshi."

"You're here, too."

"But for how long? I am old. I've now raised two generations of children. My time will come, and it isn't all that far off. Someone must watch out for her. Not just for her body, but for her soul." He gave Aoshi a meaningful glance. "Don't worry, I don't expect you to respond to that. However, let it sit in your mind. You'll be having plenty of time to think while you limp to Tokyo."

Aoshi immediately became angry, but he let it go. The old man had forgiven his attempt on his life. The least he could do is allow him to speak at his expense once in a while.

Her soul? he thought. He always believed that Misao's soul was perfectly fine without him. Now he wasn't so sure. She had been looking more down, lately, and talking less. She even missed taking him home from the temple, yesterday, which had never occurred before (well, except for that time that she accidentally drank a glass of sake instead of a glass of water). Until she got that letter yesterday, he had been positive that she was not quite herself. He was trying to think of a way to make her see that he cared about her well-being, but he couldn't figure out how. Just talk to her, a voice in his mind said.

Oh, of course, how simple, he thought bitterly. Talk to her about what? What do you say to a woman whose beloved caretaker you cut down right in front of her? A woman to whom you said those fatefully horrible words,

"I never want to see your face again."

If she had met him under almost any other circumstance after all that time, the wall between them would be thin indeed. In fact, if he had seen how lovely and full of life she had become before he came back to Kyoto, he might have changed his course of actions. Well, maybe, anyway.

He grabbed a stick, his bag, and his coat, and began to set out on his journey.

"I can't believe how perfect he is, Kaoru," said Misao.

She was looking at the day-old boy Kaoru was holding to her chest. He had a beautiful round face, perfect little brown eyes, and adorable dimples all over. He looked like a sleeping angel. A small twinge of jealousy passed through her, but her happiness for her friends outweighed it.

"I know, I know," gushed the tired but happy Kaoru. "I'm so glad Kenshin is able to have a son."

"And you have him too," reminded Megumi, whom Misao was helping to wash several blankets. "Don't forget that he belongs to you, as well. In fact, he may be more yours, since you were the one to bake him!" She laughed.

"You really did know he was a boy, didn't you?" said Misao. "How?"

"Mother's intuition, I guess, Misao," she smiled. Then her face took on an altogether different expression. "Are Kenshin and Sano back from getting blind drunk yet?"

"No... and I think they took Yahiko with them, too," Misao said disapprovingly. "I hope they don't give him any sake!"

"What? How could they?! He's just a child!"

"He's thirteen, Kaoru. He'll be grown soon."

"My, how time flies," Kaoru said, looking pensive. "It seemed that just yesterday I was yelling at Yahiko for doing a terrible job cleaning the dojo floors!"

Speaking about floors immediately made Misao turn red in embarassment. She knew that her little stunt on the floor outside Aoshi's bedroom would not be appreciated by anyone at the Aoiya. Jiya had already sent her a very heated letter, detailing that when she came back, she was going to clean the whole Aoiya top to bottom, even if it took her the rest of her life.

What other choice did I have? She thought. Aoshi could easily have overtaken her and literally dragged her kicking and screaming back to Kyoto in less than a day. She was sure no one could escape that room without injury, even Aoshi. She just hoped she didn't hurt him too badly.

She started in on doing another load of wash when she heard loud voices coming down the street. One of them was definitely that of Sanosuke.

Here we go, she thought. She went to the gate and opened it for them. All three of them were shamefully drunk - even Yahiko! Kenshin was basically passed out, hanging on Sano, and Yahiko had a glazed look in his eyes.

"Well hey there weasel, howya doin'?" said Sanosuke. "I don't recognize you without Tall, Dark, and Menacing hanging over you!"

"Yeah, whatever, Sano," she said. Normally this would have irritated her, but she knew there was no point getting angry at drunk men. You may as well get angry at a howling wind.

Megumi came out at this moment, shaking her head at them. "Excessive alcohol consumption isn't good for your liver," she said. Turning to address Misao, she said, "Misao-chan, I have run out of a special ointment that I need to put on the baby's skin. Is there any way you could run to get it for me?"

"Of course!" she said, thankful to have a way out of dealing with the three intoxicated men. Yahiko looked suspiciously vomitous.

Grabbing the note from Megumi, Misao skipped out of the dojo, heading for town. Tokyo was such a lively city - she loved it. She was taking in the sights, smelling the smells, and enjoying the freedom. I never am able to do this at home, she thought. I'm always chasing after Aoshi or doing work at the Aoiya at home. She tried to tell herself that she didn't miss Aoshi at all, but it wasn't true. He filled a sort of void in her life, though she couldn't figure out exactly what it was.

She was completely shocked when she turned the corner to the drugstore. A large band of police was asking questions of all the bystanders, and among them was Fujita Goro, aka Hajime Saito. She recognized him immediately, averted her eyes, and hid behind a woman holding a parasol. He hadn't seen her - or had he? Yes, he was looking her direction!

He looked vaguely disinterested and continued what he was doing. All the police were asking if anyone had seen an old gentleman with a cart and a mule. Seeing as how that was a vague description of much of the townspeople, they weren't having much luck. Misao was able to slip past without being questioned. Her upbringing as an onmitsu made her wary of police.

She almost reached the pharmacy, and then her heart skipped a beat. Aoshi-sama was standing down the street! And he saw her!

She ducked immediately, running underneath the huge crowd of people. This was one time where her small size was an extreme benefit to her - she could run right in between people, apologizing profusely, while Aoshi, tall as he was, was essentially unable to move. She made it across a bridge, out of the crowd. She was at the very edge of the city, bordering on the forest. Without hesitating, she ran right into it.

There was a lot of underbrush, but she made it to a large persimmon tree. I'll hide here for a while, she thought. She knew that if she made it back to the dojo, he would be waiting for her, and would insist on taking her home with him. Not now, she thought. She needed a break from him for a while. Though she had to admit to herself that she was flattered that he cared enough to come after her at all. Maybe he doesn't think I'm annoying and useless after all, she thought. Maybe... just maybe... he loves me? She thought tentatively. She was afraid to get her hopes up for nothing.

After about half an hour, she decided to jump down from the tree and head back to the dojo. She couldn't hang out here all night; at some point she would have to face him.

An old man with a wagon drove his mule on the path near her. As he went by, one of the very heavy rice-wine jugs fell out of it. Swearing, he jumped down from the wagon. He tried to pick it up, but was having trouble.

Misao stepped out from behind her tree. "Do you need help?" She asked. No matter what anyone said to her about safety, there was no way she could watch an old man struggle like that.

"Oh, thank you so much, young miss!" He looked very, very relieved. With difficulty they lifted the jug back onto the cart. The old man turned to face her, and said, "Let me give you just a small taste and a rice cake to thank you!"

"Thank you very much, but no," said Misao, even though the sight the rice cakes set her stomach rumbling. She couldn't trust this man, even though the energy he sent out seemed harmless enough.

"Don't be shy! I won't hurt you - see, I'm just an old farmer! Please take them."

Misao's mouth watered. She definitely was tempted. "Well, I don't want to sound rude, but there are a lot of reasons not to trust strangers right now," she said, looking at him.

"You mean the Yakuza? Yes, I agree. But how could I be associated with a group like that?" He asked. And close up, Misao could see that he really was just a simple farmer - he even had dirt under his fingernails.

"Here," he said, pouring a quick shot of sake from a smaller jug. He put it and a cake in her hands. "Enjoy it!" He said. He set off, whistling.

After he was out of sight, she poured out the sake, and looked at the cake again. She had simply planned on throwing it into the woods to spare the old man's feelings, but her stomach growled violently. She realized that due to the fact that she and Megumi were so busy with the baby's arrival, all she had eaten that morning was a bowl of clear soup. She looked at the glutionous rice cake carefully, and it did indeed bear the symbol of a known eatery in town. What the heck, she thought. She took a bite. It was good. She decided to enjoy it slowly, and let the flavor coat her tongue.

About two minutes later, when she was walking back to her tree, she began to feel dizzy. She brushed the feeling off immediately, thinking it was her hunger. But a few moments later, she felt suddenly very nauseated. What was it that Jiya had said about poison?

She didn't have time to remember before she fell to the ground.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer* I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. My imagination is not that good. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter 4

Aoshi was wandering the streets, when he spotted her.

She ducked down immediately, and ran under the crowd. Damn it, he thought, as he was trying to get past all the people crammed on the street. He didn't have a chance, and he knew it. He simply had to keep his head up, walk quickly, and hope that he saw her.

But she lost him.

Well, she's gotten better at that, he reminded himself. For all her faults, her skills as an onmitsu had grown, especially in the past year.

He kept walking along, looking and scanning the edge of the town, especially the edge of the river. His original plan was to sneak up on her at the dojo, but now he knew that she wouldn't go back there unless it was necessary. He knew she was running from him, probably because of how they had last spoken. Probably also because she had sprained his ankle, which my now had mostly healed.

He hoped that she hadn't run into the forest. There was a good chance that the Yazuka were there. He had just run into Fujita Goro earlier, and the two had reluctantly spoken. They had fought alongside Kenshin together, of course, but they were uneasy allies at best.

"I saw your weasel-girl," Saito said. "She saw me too, but ran that direction. Make sure she keeps out of the forest. We were finally able to get the government to agree to dismantle the Yakuza operation going on out there. I guess someone's bribes didn't get paid," he said, lighting a cigarette. He gave Aoshi a blank stare. "They've raped and killed quite a few young girls."

Aoshi nodded and walked away. He'd been trying to keep it out of his mind.

Just then, as he was turning his head, he saw - or did he see?- a long, wiry leg wearing blue shorts slip under the trees. He decided to follow it. The sun was getting close to setting, but Aoshi wasn't worried about the Yakuza attacking him. He was worried about Misao and her trusting nature.

He walked about five miles into the forest, wandering around. He kept trying to find her trail - it took him at least an hour. Finally, he heard some noise. It was glass bottles being thrown into a fire. He looked through a clearing in the trees and came upon a group of about 12 men sitting around it. What he saw was shocking, even to him. A young girl was tied to a pole. Her clothes were bound loosely around her, and the men were eyeing her greedily. She looked as though she had tried to break free for several hours, but the bruises all over her legs showed that she had been beaten every time she tried to escape. She had given up and, though conscious, was hanging limply.

"What's keeping Otaru? I thought he said he'd found another one for us! One girl isn't enough for twelve!" A sniveling little man said.

"Shut up, Minoru," said a tall, gangly man. He was holding a sword and looked vaguely disinterested. "If you think that you look innocent enough to trick young girls into eating poison, you can take his position. As it is, you wouldn't be able to trick a dog."

"Why you-" the sniveling man ran up, about to strike the tall man, when someone said, "Shut up, both of you - they're bringing the next one."

What Aoshi saw next he barely even registered for about a minute.

Misao was shackled, hand and foot, she was being dragged by a chain obviously under the effect of some sort of drug. She was trying to fight the men, and likely would have won if she wasn't stumbling and falling with every step.

And she was completely naked.

The men were all eyeing her hungrily, and one of them said, "Really, Otaru? Is that the best you can do? She's so skinny - barely even a woman!" He laughed.

You die first, was Aoshi's first coherent thought.

The farmer was demanding payment, but Aoshi couldn't hear him speak. He was numb with intense hatred. He was trying to figure out the best way to kill every single one of them. Slowly.

He heard, or rather sensed, someone coming up on him. To his surprise, it was Himura. He wondered if Kenshin had been tipped off by Saito, or what. Kenshin took one look at the scene, blanched, and then immediately looked at Aoshi, pleading him with his eyes to think before acting.

Through the consuming, fiery hate he felt, he knew that Misao herself wouldn't wish them dead. And with how much she had suffered already, he didn't want to add to her guilt.

I suppose these dogs aren't worth my blade, anyway.

Angry as he was, Aoshi waited for a moment, trying to figure out his best strategy. It was no good if he managed to get Misao killed. But a few seconds later, he was unable to control himself.

Apparently, a price had been reached and the farmer prepared to leave. But before he did, Two of the men ran up to Misao and the other girl. One man began to grope her and try to drag her behind a bush. That was enough for Aoshi.

He felt a thunderclap go off inside of him, full of white-hot fury. He ran out of the trees, and Himura followed him. He began cutting down the men, though he was using his stick, not his sword.

He ran, smacking men mercilessly with his stick, breaking bones, blackening eyes. He would love to beat them to a pulp, but chose to restrain himself. He needed to get Misao unbound - he had heard one of the men talk of poisoning and was thinking to himself that she might not make it if he didn't help her soon. If she wasn't already dead, that was. But he tried not to think about that. If she were dead indeed, then nothing Himura said could stop him from murdering all of them.

Himura looked at him and said, "Aoshi, please, take Misao-dono back to Megumi-dono. She needs help, fast."

He ran up to her and grabbed her hand. She was cold as ice, but still had a pulse. He cut her loose with his knife and, averting his eyes, he took his coat off and wrapped her in it. He then took off with all the speed he possessed.

Please Misao, he thought to himself. Don't die. I can't take it if someone else close to me dies. Especially you.

He wished she would wake up. Right at this moment, he would say it straight to her face.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer* I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. My imagination is not that good. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Kaoru was pacing the dojo. Megumi was looking at her in a disapproving way, because Kaoru had just given birth and shouldn't have been walking around so much. But Kaoru couldn't help herself - there was no way she could hold still.

I sense something isn't right, Kenshin had said. Misao should have been back more than an hour ago. Just then, Hajime Saito had walked through the door of the dojo, saying to Kenshin, This isn't good.

He told them, looking with his cold, narrowed eyes, that he had seen both Misao and Aoshi. And he was pretty sure they had both headed into the forest. He couldn't be sure, but they might have run into the Yakuza - after all, they had been gone for a while. Misao may be silly, but she knew to run an errand and get back, especially an important one like the one she was given. She was also the very age group that this band of Yakuza was most fond of assaulting.

Please, Kenshin, Kaoru had said, Go and look for Misao. I'm worried about her. He, Sano, and Saito had left. Yahiko was out front, guarding the dojo.

That had been an hour ago.

She was pacing, praying to the gods, when she heard rapid footsteps. They were coming straight for the dojo. About 5 seconds later, Shinomori Aoshi burst through the door, carrying Misao. She was white as a sheet and cold as ice.

"Megumi!" yelled Kaoru. Meanwhile, she motioned Aoshi over to one of the bedrooms and said, "Come! Lay her in here!"

He gently placed her on the futon. His face was nearly as white and bloodless as hers. He was certain she was dead, or dying.

Megumi ran in quickly, took Misao's pulse, and looked at her skin. As she was examining her, she noticed Misao was clutching a glutionous rice cake. She quickly grabbed it and looked at it carefully. She smelled it, then put a small amount on her tongue, spitting it out.

"Poison," she said, "Though it's an old one. Not many people use this one any more because it takes a long time to kill and isn't always effective, especially if the victim only has a small amount, as Misao has done. Her temperature will drop, her heart will slow and she will become very cold. We need to give her a lot of water, and keep her warm. Body heat is best."

Megumi was shocked when she turned around. Aoshi had removed his shirt and was slipping in, right next to Misao. "Bring her a blanket!" He snapped at Kaoru and Megumi. Both were so dumbfounded they froze for a moment, then obeyed. They knew he cared about her more than he ever let on, but his behavior still surprised them.

Normally, Kaoru would have complained that it would be inappropriate for an unmarried couple to share a bed like that, but after seeing Aoshi's face, there was no way she was going to say anything. She was also very pleased for Misao. It showed that Aoshi did care about her very deeply. Please Misao, she thought, you have to live so that you can find out that he loves you!

The moment he slipped in next to her, he could barely believe how cold she was. He removed her shirt so that only her chest-wrap remained. He wrapped his arms around her to try to keep her warm. She felt cold as death. She stirred slightly after feeling him around her, though, so he knew that she was still alive.

He put a small, thin piece of muslin over her chest and her hips, to try to keep things as chaste as possible. Even so, he was having a hard time keeping his mind off of her body and all its nuances.

In lying next to her, he noticed that she had grown far more than he ever imagined she had. She was taller (well, a little taller. Compared to him, she was still tiny). Her hips had fleshed out a bit, though she was still wiry. And her chest... well, it was obvious that she had been keeping her chest wrap very tight of late. He wondered why she felt the need to do that.

She had become a woman, and he had barely even noticed. He was too busy chasing the ghosts of his past to realize that his future was sitting right in front of him, beckoning to him.

Looking at her hair, he whispered, "I love you, Misao. Come back to me."

Misao was having the loveliest dream ever about her Aoshi-sama. He had wrapped his arms around her, and she felt his hard chest against her back. It gave her a warm, unfamiliar tickle down in her lower abdomen. Then he whispered, "I love you, Misao. Come back to me." Even her wildest daydreams about Aoshi-sama had never gotten this far. She smiled, and sighed. "I love you, too," she said. "I never thought you loved me at all. This is so nice!" She let the feeling of warmth envelop her, and slipped deeper into sleep.

Someone was frequently waking her up and making her drink water, but she wasn't very aware of it. All she knew was the warmth surrounding her. She never wanted to move from that spot, ever.

She was slowly starting to feel warmer, and warmer. She was also feeling more aware. After a time, she began to wake. But her dream was not going away. In fact, she was noticing that her dream was a reality. Aoshi was in bed with her, without his shirt, with nothing but a thin piece of muslin between them. And his arms were around her, keeping her warm. She couldn't believe it. So she opened her eyes, and saw that it was true.

She turned a shade of crimson that is hard for a human to achieve.

Slowly, so as not to startle him, she stirred. She was surprised when Aoshi said into her ear, "Misao, are you awake?"

She sat up immediately and turned around. Remembering that she was without her shirt, she snatched the blanket up to cover her chest. She still looked pale and tired. It took her a few moments (quite possibly the longest moments of her life), but she answered. "Yes, Aoshi-sama, I am awake. Um... what exactly is going on? I'm confused."

He sat up himself, and moved to the side of her bed. He did not, however, make a move to put his shirt back on.

"You were poisoned. By the very Yakuza I had warned you about. They were just about to... hurt you when I arrived. I took you back to the dojo, and Megumi-san told me that the only way to save your life was by keeping you as warm as possible. We have been here for about a day and a half."

Misao was pleased on many levels. That was about the longest description of anything that Aoshi had given her. He had also stayed with her, hardly leaving her side, to keep her alive, himself. He easily could have had one of the women do it, but he chose to do it himself.

"Aoshi-sama, I don't know what to say."

"Perhaps you could start with an apology."

This was also a surprising thing to hear from him. She looked at him shyly.

"I do owe you a few, don't I? I'm sorry I yelled at you before I left Kyoto. I'm sorry that I greased your room"(Here his eyes narrowed a bit) "and I'm sorry that I put myself in a foolish situation."

"What could possibly make you think that it would be a good idea to accept something like that rice cake from a stranger?"

"I have no excuse, Aoshi-sama. The man seemed kind to me."

Aoshi looked at her long and hard. "I don't want to have to go chasing after you all the time, Misao."

"You don't have to!" She said, a little more harshly than she meant to. "Why do you think I can't take care of myself?"

He looked at her again, and didn't speak for a minute. She simply sat and looked back. Finally, as if he was accepting something he had been dreading for a long time, he spoke to her.

"Listen carefully to me, Misao. I am going to tell you something, and I don't want you interrupting me."

He had never said anything of the sort to her in her life, and it made her instantly quiet.

"A long, long time ago, when I was a boy and not quite out of childhood, I worked alongside your father."

My father! Thought Misao. She was bursting with questions, but swallowed them with difficulty.

"You were just a baby then - only about two years old. I had gotten myself into a bad situation, and your father saved me from death."

He didn't elaborate, but her father had literally jumped in front of him, taking an arrow. He lived only for a few days afterward.

"I promised him, with his dying breath, that I would watch over you and your mother, all the days of your lives. Your mother died in childbirth a month after. You were the only one left, and I was to watch over you. That was why you saw so much of me when you were young.

"The others couldn't find a place for themselves after the revolution, and as their leader I was obligated to find a way for them to live. We went to work for Kanryuu Takeda" here his face darkened, "and you know how that turned out."

Misao nodded.

"By leaving you, Misao, I broke my promise to your father. When I saw you again, here in Kyoto, it reminded me of that fact. It made me angry at myself. That was why I said what I said to you."

Misao couldn't believe Aoshi was telling her these things. He had never been so open with her before. In fact, she didn't believe she had ever heard him string this many sentences together at once.

"Misao, I never apologized to you for that. I'm sorry."

She had to concentrate in order to keep her jaw from dropping. Aoshi didn't apologize to anyone. Ever. After a few seconds, she responded.

"Of course I forgive you, Aoshi-sama. In fact, I forgave you the moment you said it, even if I didn't realize it myself."

"I know."

She sat there, not sure what to say or do.

"Misao, I have something to ask you. I believe I found a way to keep my promise to your father, forever. Would you like to know what it is?"

Misao's mouth turned dry as cotton. She nodded feebly.

"We should go to the government and register as married."

Misao was absolutely positive she was dreaming now. Her eyes glazed over, and she didn't know how to respond.

"What, Aoshi-sama?"

"I said we should get married."

"You're not teasing me?"

"Misao, when have I ever teased anybody?"

He had a point. Misao was still reeling from shock. How did Aoshi suddenly go from being as cold as he ever was to wishing to protect her and make her his, forever? It's because you scared him, she thought. He thought he would lose her forever, and that had made him realize just how important she was to him!

"But, Aoshi-sama-"

"Of course, you need to heal first. We'll discuss it more, later." He laid her back down, carefully, then put the blanket around her shoulders. He looked deep into her eyes, then got up.

Misao, struck with sudden boldness, said, "Aoshi-sama, please come lie down with me again."

He turned around and looked at her. His eyes were dancing at her, and there was no doubt that the corners of his mouth were fighting a smile. "There will be plenty of time for that another day, Misao. You still need to heal. I'll come sit with you later."

"Thank you, Aoshi-sama," said Misao blissfully.

When Megumi came in after Aoshi left the room, she noticed Misao was asleep, and smiling wide.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer* I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. My imagination isn't that good. This is for entertainment purposes only.
> 
> LEMON ALERT!

Three days later, Misao was finally getting closer to well. She was still slightly weak, but almost herself. Megumi had commanded that she stay in her room until she gave her leave to go elsewhere, and Aoshi enforced this rule strictly, to Misao's slight annoyance. She couldn't stand being locked away.

But he also stayed with her frequently. Often he would just sit in her room, thinking to himself, but he was there all the same. She spent much of her time lying down, but sat up sometimes to speak with the others when they came to see her (which was often). And she got to hold Kenji quite a bit, which made her happy indeed.

The band of Yakuza had all finally been apprehended and arrested. Most of them would be executed for their crimes. Kenshin would normally have been far more outspoken against this decision, but decided to keep himself quiet for once. After all, he had no desire to get involved with the government and its corruptions.

Aoshi had informed her that as soon as she was able to walk, they would go home to Kyoto and announce their marriage to the others at the Aoiya. She was still nearly unable to believe it. Kaoru came in late on that third afternoon, bringing her something to eat. She cried out, "Misao! What are you doing?"

Misao had gently cut the tip of her finger with her kunai, and it was bleeding. She gave Kaoru an apologetic look. "I'm still certain I'm dreaming, Kaoru. I had to make sure I wasn't." This made Kaoru laugh so hard, tears streamed down her face. Wiping them away, she said, "Where's Aoshi?"

"I'm not certain - I think he went to eat something."

"I have news that will please you! Megumi says you can take a bath, as long as the water is very hot."

"It's about time," said Misao. She hadn't been able to wash herself for the past 3 days, since Megumi wanted to wait until her body temperature was stable. Misao was torn between never washing the scent of Aoshi off of her and getting clean, but eventually cleanliness won out.

Misao was very pleased after her bath. She felt much, much better, and much more energetic. Megumi cautioned her against doing too much physically, but said that she could sit up for a while and have some tea, which she did.

Misao was an active person by nature, and sitting in bed for so long was beginning to drive her rather nuts. Later that night, after almost everyone had fallen asleep, she got up, tied on her robe, and decided to sit in the garden, as it was a lovely night.

She went outside and sat, staring at the full moon, with all the stars around her. It was perfectly clear. She couldn't believe that her life was finally going in the direction she'd always dreamed of - toward Aoshi-sama. She prayed a thank you to the gods for probably the hundredth time.

While looking around, she noticed that the storage room, where Aoshi was staying, was still lit. She was unaware that he was in there, and decided to see if she could help somebody find something.

She was very surprised when she walked in and saw Aoshi sitting in his bed attire, meditating quietly. He opened his eyes, looked up at her, and said, "Hello, Misao."

 

He couldn't believe she was bold enough to come to him. It had taken everything in his power to stay away from her, resisting temptation until the proper time.

He knew that everyone at the Aoiya, as well as everyone here, would wholeheartedly approve of a marriage between him and Misao, but he didn't wish to consummate it before it even started, and risk ruining her reputation. Unfortunately, having her close to him now was wearing away at his resolve.

"Aoshi-sama, I was unaware that you were here. I thought someone needed help in the store-room. I'll go now."

"You needn't leave."

Surprised by his statement, Misao walked over to him and sat down. She watched him. His eyes were still closed. She noticed that he was beginning to let his hair grow, and she liked it. He was also slightly thinner than he had been before, because he was training less. She thought he looked more mature.

"Are you feeling better, Misao?" He asked her. "Yes, Aoshi-sama," she said. "I feel slightly weaker than I usually do, but Megumi-san says I should recover normally."

"That is good," he said. He looked at her and could barely believe his eyes. She looked so different from normal. She was wearing her bedclothes, and because she was wearing nothing underneath them, her curves were showing. She also had her hair undone. It roused his blood in a way that it had never been roused before. He had never desired women at all. Yet this little wisp of a girl was playing at him.

"It is late, and I should leave you, Aoshi-sama, so that you can rest," she said. They both stood, so that he could bid her good night and shut the door. Just then, she made a decision. The boldest decision of her life. I can't wait any longer, she thought. It's all or nothing, now. As she turned around to face the door, she undid the sash on her robe. She then let it slide to the floor, and turned around to face Aoshi as he walked to the door. He ended up walking within a foot of her. He gazed upon her body - her curved hips, her full breasts.

"Please, my lord. Claim me as yours. I've waited long enough."

Aoshi was completely frozen. He had no idea whatsoever to do. His mind said to wait, but his body said otherwise. He had promised himself that he would wait.

But she was right. He had made her wait long enough - more than three years. She was nearly an old maid. And she had said she wanted children. Who was he to continue to deny her? And himself?

"Are you sure?" He asked her. He had to be positive.

"Yes, my lord. About this I have never been more certain."

"Very well," he said.

He let his robe fall to the floor as well. Misao surveyed his tall, scarred, muscular frame with her virgin eyes and was completely stunned. In fact, she nearly swooned.

He walked toward her, and slowly reached his hand out to touch her hair - something he'd been longing to do. He pulled her close to him, then he picked her up - she was so much shorter than he was. She felt his warm skin touch hers, and she began to tremble. He looked her in the eyes for a moment, then pressed his lips to hers.

Misao felt as if an electric shock went up and down her. He sat down and cradled her in his lap. She sat there, held gently, while he began to put his hands all over her. She was allowed to touch him as well, which was a new and completely pleasing sensation for her. Her Aoshi-sama, who was completely off limits to her before, was suddenly hers, and she was suddenly his. They couldn't get enough of one another.

He gently nipped the side of her neck under her ear, and shivers of delight went up and down her spine. She brushed her hands against his upper thigh, and his pleasure was visibly obvious to her. She could have done this alone, forever.

Finally, a moment came, after what seemed like a blissful eternity, when she found him lying atop her. He had spread her knees apart and was between them. He was kissing her neck, her breasts, and her lips, hungrily. In that vital, feminine part of her, she felt sudden pressure, then pain. She cried out feebly. It didn't hurt terribly, but it was there all the same. And there was no going back from this moment. Aoshi sensed it too, with a sudden tinge of regret. He had caused her so much pain already; causing her more was almost too much to bear. But immediately after, a smile played across her face. He began to move, slowly. He wished to prolong this new joy of his as much as possible.

Misao was trying desperately to stay quiet, to no avail. All these sensations were completely foreign to her, and far more intense than she had ever imagined. A noisy person by nature, she started to sigh more and more loudly. His pace quickened to match hers. In what seemed both like no time at all, and an eternity, she called out, "Aoshi-sama!"

Shortly after, she noticed that he had quieted above her, but was still holding her close. He moved to lie on his side, holding her. He didn't wish to let go, ever. And neither did she.

"Thank you, Aoshi-sama," she said. "You brought my dreams to life."

"I didn't realize it until now, Misao, but you brought mine to life, as well."


	7. Conclusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer* I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. My imagination isn't that good. This is for entertainment purposes only.

The next morning, Misao slipped out early, to (she thought) avoid getting caught in the same bed as Aoshi. It was almost impossible to do - now that she had him, she didn't want to leave him. But she knew that staying with him through the entire night would have to wait until the day of her marriage. She smiled, thinking of it eagerly.

She thought for certain that she and Aoshi had been quiet as mice. However, their exchange was definitely heard by everyone at the dojo.

Sano was standing by the doorframe when she walked by. He raised one eyebrow, whistled, and said, "I didn't know you were such a wildcat, Weasel!" Yahiko, who was standing behind him, rolled his eyes back and sighed, "Aoshi-sama!" The two of them laughed until they cried.

"I hate you both!" she yelled, hitting them. She nearly pulled out her kunai, but she decided instead to simply get back to her room and avoid everyone else.

Unfortunately, she happened to run into Kaoru, who was on her way to the toilet. She was gifted with a devilish glance.

"Well, did your dreams finally come true last night, my dear?" She said. Misao froze, mortified; then she quickly regained her composure and said, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Kaoru."

"Well, I'm sure half of Tokyo knows what I mean," she teased. Misao's face fell a bit. "I didn't mean to bring shame on you, Kaoru," she said. "I know we should probably have waited."

"Absolutely not," said Kaoru. "You've waited for him most of your life. Kenshin told me something yesterday that made perfect sense. He said that you and Aoshi have been married for years, but only you have known it, and Aoshi has just found out. I now know exactly what he means."

Misao smiled at her. "I guess you're right," she said. "Though Aoshi-sama told me yesterday that we are going to be married."

"Oh Misao, is that really true? How wonderful!" Said Kaoru. She gave Misao a huge hug. "I have never been so happy for someone else in my entire life," she said into Misao's shoulder, while embracing her. She then let go. "Come with me," she said.

Misao followed her to what used to be her room before she was married. Kaoru went to a drawer, opened it, and pulled out a package. Inside was an incredibly decorative seven-layer wedding kimono.

"My grandmother made this. My mother was married in it, and so was I. I would be honored if you would wear it at your wedding, too." "Oh thank you so much!" Said Misao. "I am honored to have the opportunity."

"You're also going to need a married couple to help you. Would you like Kenshin and I to do it?" "Well, of course," said Misao. "Who else?"

After hugging Kaoru, she made it back to her room, lay on her futon, and smiled. Her dream was finally coming true. Then, she felt a sudden twinge in her abdomen, and gasped aloud. Kaoru was right! she thought to herself. Except... I am positive that this is a girl.


End file.
